Buford "Jug" Wray was born on March 22, 1926 in Gleason to Sam and Bertie Hall Wray who had five sons, of whom Jug was the youngest. Sam and Bertie Wray were sharecroppers, living out in the country and working at different farms most of their lives. All of the boys went to Peace and Harmony School, one of the many one-room country school houses in those days. He followed three of his brothers (Buster, William Thomas and Bob) to high school in Gleason where the Wray boys were well known for their sports accomplishments from 1929 to 1946.

Jug himself was a star football player and, as quoted in the newspaper during his high school days, was feared by many because of his size. At 6 ft, 5, he was also was well known for basketball. As an avid sports fan and participant, not only did he excel at football and basketball, he also played baseball on Sundays and softball at night at the park as well as on teams in McKenzie and Milan after graduating. In 1973 he was honored at the Gleason Park for 30 continuous years of baseball and softball play and continued for years beyond that time. Regarding Jug’s power as a hitter, legend had it that someday the United States would send a man to the moon and when he got there he would find a baseball - put there by Jug Wray.

Jug, along with his high school sweetheart and wife of 55 years, Joyce Horn Wray, also enjoyed seeing all three of their children (Vickie, Kathie, and Greg) succeed in sports. Both daughters were selected to Tennessee all-star teams in 1969 and 1971, with their teams winning both years. Both went on to play at UT Martin back when women’s college basketball teams were just getting a start. Kathy played for two years with legendary UT women’s head basketball coach Pat Head Summit, who was her roommate.

In addition to sports, Jug Wray made many important contributions to the Gleason community. He was a Boy Scout leader and was a member of the First Methodist Church in Gleason for 53 years, where he served as a member of the Official Board, as Sunday School Superintendent, and as a lay speaker. He was also president of the Gleason PTA for two years and served on the Weakley County Board of Education for 10 years. In this latter role, as a member of the Weakly County School Board in the 1970’s, he along with Bob Owen, fought tooth and nail for 10 years to keep our school (as some had planned) from merging with Palmersville and Dresden and being relocated to Dresden.

Jug was employed by Bell Clay Company in Gleason for 29 years, as well as Long Concrete Company in McKenzie and retired, after 12 years, as Manager of Tennessee Rentals and Sales in Jackson, Tennessee.

When he passed away on May 19^th of 2002, Jug had seven grandchildren, Stacie Smith Lawson, Brian Smith, Matt and Zac Fite, Kacie Fite, Jerry Proenza and Nathan Wray and one great grandchild, Austin Proenza; other great grandchildren Hayden Wray Smith, James Sims Lawson, and Kaitlin Proenza have been born since his passing He has one brother surviving, Bob Wray.

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